| A CLOSER LOOK AT OUR "DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED" PROGRAM
The Commonwealth Group is not affiliated
with any treatment agency or private
clinician. This ensures that we provide
objective evaluations and referrals. Our
Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) program
consists of three phases:
- A 48-hour weekend comprising:
- Evaluation through individual interviews
with certified alcohol/drug abuse
counselors and self-reporting, objective
questionnaires.
- Education through presentations on how
alcohol/drug abuse affects the body,
impairs judgment and decision-making
skills, and leads to legal and social
consequences.
- Peer interventions and guided
confrontations–gentle but assertive
methods for participants to hold one
another accountable for their thoughts
and behaviors around alcohol/drug abuse.
- Coordination of after-care:
continuing progress groups for up to
eighteen months; attendance at self-help
groups; monitoring of individual
counseling, when necessary.
- Continued follow-up and reporting for
up to twenty-four months.
The intense weekend experience, combined
with the follow-up components, has
immediate and prolonged impact on our
clients, and it also satisfies the
obligations set forth by most courts and
Motor Vehicle Departments nationwide.
The program is suitable for all people
who have been arrested for Driving
While Intoxicated, whether they are
first-time or repeat offenders.
How we approach our clients
 We treat our clients in a respectful,
non-punitive manner, and our treatment
approach is different from the standard
therapy. Evaluations are individualized,
based on our client's background and
experiences. The result is a close and
honest look at the true root of the
problem: alcohol misuse and abuse. And
the plan we design for each client to
follow is also individualized, covering
all the life areas that are affected by
alcohol misuse and abuse.
How we view drunk driving offenses
Most cases of
Driving While Intoxicated
are merely the consequence of a much
larger problem. To address these larger
issues, we:
- employ reputable alcohol abuse and
mental health assessments to uncover the
real roots of the problem
- look at the "total person" in order to
recognize other issues that are being
masked by the misuse and abuse of
alcohol
- hold a mirror before the faces of our
clients, helping them to clearly
identify the issues that are getting in
the way of sound mental health
- provide education for our clients that
has an immediate and lasting impact on
their lives.
Some details of the weekend DWI program
Participants respond favorably to the
weekend program because we treat them
with respect, and we provide a
meaningful experience that goes beyond
just "fulfilling a legal obligation."
Our staff is caring, knowledgeable, and
highly skilled at substance abuse
issues.
The accommodations are
excellent: double-occupancy suites with
private bedrooms and baths, and shared
living rooms and kitchenettes.
Comfortable and quiet, they provide
privacy for periods of reflection. All
meals and snacks are included in the
program fee and are provided in
plentiful amounts right at the program
location. Hotel amenities include an
indoor pool, exercise room, and
housekeeping service.
The only thing we ask our clients to
bring is their honesty, open-mindedness,
and willingness to participate.
The benefits of the DWI program
Everyone benefits from participation in
our program:
- Our clients gain new insights into
their behavior and new skills for better
decision-making.
- The court systems and the Departments
of Motor Vehicles benefit from
having a reputable resource for DWI
offenders, one which provides serious
treatment for the root problem, and
which helps keep their clients from
re-entering the legal system.
- Family members and friends, most of
whom have witnessed the alcohol/drug
abuse first-hand, are encouraged by the
help their loved ones receive.
- Our clients' home states and
communities benefit from having sober
drivers on their roadways!
For more information
If you work for your state's Department
of Motor Vehicles, court system, or
other appropriate agency, call
(860) 645-0553
more information. |
